India is concerned that a freetrade agreement with the European Union could jeopardize the country's public health, as such an agreement with EU would lead toa restriction of supply of generic medicines in the country andabroad as well, according to local media reports.

There are genuine concerns that theFree Trade Agreement, which India is finalizing with the EuropeanUnion, can prove detrimental to health equity, said local daily TheTribune on Saturday.

"Supply of low cost genericmedicines to patients within the country and in less developednations should not be threatened by a treaty that may furthertighten an already rigid global regime represented by the TradeRelated aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPs),"said an editorial of the daily.

It also asked the Indian governmentto "take the country into confidence on the text of the India EUFTA."

The article quoted Nobel laureateJoseph Stiglitz as saying TRIPs was designed to increase the priceof medicines.

However, despite the rising cost topatients and massive revenues for pharmaceutical companies, theprofits have not led to remedies for disease affected poorcountries, according to the opinion piece.

"The priority for India should beto preserve existing provisions in global agreements and domesticpatent law that facilitate production of generics, stopevergreening of drugs and enable compulsory licensing," itsaid.

Indian Prime Minister ManmohanSingh made a three-day official visit to Germany this week durngwhich he talked with German officials the negotiations on India-EUFTA. Enditem